The data also reveals that 14,000 Malaysians made the trip to Israel. Other visitors from Muslim countries also include tourists from Saudi Arabia (6), Kuwait (34à, and The UAE (25).

The data received applause from Israeli diplomat Ofir Gendelman, who welcomed the tourists from Arab countries to Israel.

The statistics come a few months after Israeli news outlets reported on a secret meeting between Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Moroccan government, however, denied the news, emphasizing that the Kingdom of Morocco “does not respond to rumors.”

El Khalfi’s response comes after a program aired by Israeli television channel 13, which reported that Bourita met with Prime Minister Netanyahu September 2018 in New York on “the sidelines of a UN General Assembly.”

The rumors are also on the heel of allegations that Netanyahu was preparing to conduct an official visit to Morocco. The Moroccan government, however, denied the news.

The majority of Moroccans criticize any move towards normalizing diplomatic ties with Israel.

Dozens of activists went to Parliament in Rabat to protest against any normalization of Moroccan relations with Israel in February, 2019.